MANNS HARBOR – After hearing from Hatteras Island commuters about the need for an additional early evening run on the Emergency Route between Stumpy Point and Rodanthe, the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has agreed to add a 6:15 p.m. departure from Stumpy Point and an 8:45 p.m. departure from Rodanthe beginning Thursday.

The commuter concerns were raised at a community meeting Tuesday night in Buxton. “People told us they were having trouble making the 5 p.m. run out of Stumpy Point, and we decided they were right,” said Ferry Division Deputy Director Jed Dixon. “This additional run will allow those people to get to their homes and families on Hatteras at a reasonable hour.”

Beginning Thursday, December 12, The new schedule for the Emergency Route will be as follows:

The additional round-trip also increases the Ferry Systems scheduled daily capacity to 968 single cars. There will still be unscheduled “shuttle” trips to alleviate traffic backups when they occur. The Ferry Division will continue to monitor traffic levels and adjust schedules when and where necessary.

The emergency route was activated December 3 after NCDOT closed the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge for safety reasons. The Ferry Division will continue to monitor traffic on the route to determine if any additional runs are needed.